Automatic wagon-brake



(No Model.)

S. W. ALBERTSON.

AUTOMATIC WAGON BRAKE.

Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

N. PETERS Hugo-lithograph. Waihingmn. n. c,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS \V. ALBERTSON, OF ROSLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,58, dated November22, 1887.

Application filed March 4, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS W. ALBERTSON, of Roslyn, in the county ofQueens and State of New York, farmer, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement relating to Antomatic Brakes for Farm-hVagons andAnalogous Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

I carry a brake-bar on the thills, and provide a movable connectionbetween the same and the running-gear, so conditioned that theconnection will tighten and become firm and stifi when the-animal oranimals pull forward in the ordinary use of the wagon, but will movewithout appreciable resistance from friction when it has been forcedbackward to'or near its extreme rear position. There is a free verticalmovement of the front end of the tongue or thills when pressed backward.My means of preventing the action of the brake when it is desired toback the wagon are efficient and reliable.

The invention. is especially adapted by its simplicity for use infarm-vehicles.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what I consider the best means of. carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front portion of a farm-wagon havingmy invention. One wheel is removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Thewagon-body is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a vertical centralsection.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they occur.

A is the body of the wagon; B, the bolster fixed immovably thereto, andD the front axle turning on a king-pin. (Not shown.)

E E are the front hounds. So far as yet described all these parts, asalso the curved iron braces F F, which as the front axle swivels on theking-pin move backward and forward between the bolster B and thewagon-body A, are of ordinary and longapproved construction. A stoutcylindrical bolt, G, connects the hounds in the position represented.

M is a brake-bar extending across in front of the forward wheels, H H.It carries brakeblocks N N, adapted as they are pressed backward orpulled forward to apply friction to the forward wheels or to relievethem therefrom.

Serial K022913813. (Ne model.)

P P are rearwardly-extending arms fixed on the tongue 0, andconsequently on the brakebar M, and receiving the bolt G in slots pp, v

which extend forward and backward, so as to allow a considerable forwardand backward movement while being supported vertically by and free totilt, if required, on the bolt G. The arms P P diverge rearward. Theystand, preferably, at an angle of about ten degrees, their rearward endsbeing connected and strongly braced by a rigid cross-piece, Q.

The parts are so formed and proportioned that when the force of theanimals is applied through the tongue 0, or through any other suitablemeans, as thills, (not shown,) to hold back, it will disengage the armsP P from their tight embrace between the correspondinglyinclined houndsE E, and will move back freely until the brakes N N are in contact withthe wheels. Any forward pressure exerted by the wagon in descending ahill will result in increasing the friction. On the animals resumingtheir forward pull the brake-bar and its attachments move forwardfreely; but so soon as they have effectually removed the brakes from thewheels the inclined outer faces of the arms P P begin to wedge tightlywithin the correspondingly-formed faces of tact with the wheels when thepulling force of go the animal or animals is simply relaxed. Theconsiderable friction due to the tight embrace as the tongue is drawnforward holds it well forward and entirely frees the wheels from thebrakes until the crowding of the wagon forward in descending a hillbecomes quite strong. I consider this a decided advantage in themiscellaneous work of a farm.

Previous to backing, the attendant pulls up on the chain I, attachedloosely to the forward end of the body A. v This lifts strongly on thelever J, hinged to the under side of the tongue at the point j. On therear arm of this lever is a stout block, J. This may be of wood or othercheap material, and may be only roughly shaped. It should be of suchsize as to nearly fill the space which exists between the crosspiece Qand the bolster B when the team has pulled the movable parts forward.Taking care to pull this chain, and thus lift the block J into positionprior to backing, and to hold the chain up by the continued effort ofthe hand, or by attaching it to something, the driver proceeds to backthe team in the ordinary way. The arms P slide backward but little-notsufficient to quite release their close embrace between the hounds E E,when the presence of the block J asserts itself to prevent any furtherbackward movement, and the brakes are not applied, but the force of theanimals is applied in backing in the ordinary manner.

I am aware that there have been many effortsto apply self-acting brakesto farm vehicles. The demand therefor in hilly districts maintain astiff connection between the tongue and the axle under ordinaryconditions of work; that they shall leave the tongue free to rock, asmine does, on the bolt G, and that they 'are by the exercise ofsufficient strength from the drivers seat made instantly ready forbacking.

I claim as my invention In an automatic brake for wagons, the lever J,hinged to the tongue atj, and carrying the block J, in combination withthe operating cord or chain I, and with the wheels H H, axle D, hounds EE, crossbolt G, divergent arms P P, having the slots 1), brace Q, tongue0, or equivalent means of attaching to the team, brake-bar M, and brakesN, arranged to serve as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Roslyn, New York,this 14th day of February, 1887, in the presenceof two subscribingwitnesses.

SILAS w. ALBERTSON.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL HOOPER, W. W. W001).

